A master of metaphysics is farming.

Chapter 147 Dining Together

The shop has been booked, and Xiang He has prepared the blueprints for the renovation. All that's needed is for the craftsmen to follow them.

As Jiang Xinyue and Xiang Huiying prepared the meal, He Sui'an returned home with Xing Jifang.

Seeing the blueprints on the table, He Sui'an sat down beside her. "Have you found a shop yet?"

"Yes, it's at the corner of the East Market Street, a great location."

Xiang He was tidying up the things on the table when Qin Fuhua came out of the kitchen. "Young Master He is back. Please make way!"

"Princess, be careful not to get burned!" The maidservant followed closely behind to protect her. "How can Your Highness do it yourself? Let me do it."

"But don't be nervous about the food."

He Suian quickly stood up and stepped aside, then turned to look at He, spreading her hands out to He, "She was happy to do it. Today we tended the vegetable garden together, picked her favorite greens, and even cooked them herself."

She lifted her chin. "You must try that dish she's holding later."

He immediately understood her meaning, and a look of helplessness and tenderness flashed in He Sui'an's eyes. "Okay, I'll try it first."

"Is it time to eat? I'm starving!"

Wang Rongxing, who had been missing for several days, came running with a dejected face and looked listless.

“What are the results?”

Wang Rongxing plopped down, his face looking much more haggard, with some stubble growing out, and his clothes stained with a lot of color.

"It was alright..." He sniffed hard. "Those two master craftsmen were simply inhuman... ugh! They were gods! One was an unparalleled weaver, and the other had an incredibly keen sense for colored water. They were amazing!"

"It seems the princess has chosen a very suitable person."

Hearing that he was being praised, Qin Fuhua smiled shyly and said, "Those two old masters have been retired for a long time. It was only after my mother wrote to them that they agreed to come out of retirement and give me some pointers. Young Master Wang should learn from them."

Wang Rongxing immediately stood up and clasped his hands in thanks. “I am truly grateful to the Princess and the Consort. I will personally visit you to express my gratitude once I have completed my studies.”

"Don't be so polite, everyone please take your seats."

Two tables were set up in the courtyard, but the princess's maids refused to sit with her and could only prepare dishes for two tables.

Everyone sat together happily, and Qin Fuhua stared expectantly at her dish.

Xiang He glanced at He Suian, but seeing that he hadn't made a move, she was about to urge him when a pair of chopsticks had already picked up the food and brought it to Wang Rongxing's mouth.

Everyone seemed to be doing it unintentionally, but in fact they had been watching closely, just waiting for him to swallow it.

Qin Fuhua watched intently, her lips pressed tightly together in anticipation.

Wang Rongxing, who had just opened his mouth to eat, had only moved his lips twice when he let go of his chopsticks, dropped them, covered his mouth with both hands, and spat to the side, "Salty!"

That expression was so funny that Xiang He quickly turned her head away, trying to suppress her laughter.

Qin Fuhua, who had been looking forward to this, blushed and picked up the dish on the table, calling to the maid, "Cai Die, pour this for me."

Cai Die hurriedly got up and carried the dishes into the kitchen.

She quickly bent down to check on Wang Rongxing, "I... this is my first time cooking, I didn't expect it to taste so bad... Young Master Wang, are you alright?"

Wang Rongxing, who was drinking soup, waved his hand, not having time to talk to her at all. He just wanted to clear his mouth quickly, as it was so salty it was giving him a headache...

Xiang He tried to suppress the smile on her lips, nudged He Suian with her elbow, and whispered, "You did that on purpose, didn't you? You guessed he would eat first."

He Sui'an stretched out his chopsticks, picked up some food, and put it in her bowl. "Young Master Wang is very hungry. Eating some other dishes will make you feel better."

To get rid of the salty taste in his mouth, Wang Rongxing immediately picked up some meat and ate it, one bite after another.

Seeing his posture, Xiang He immediately picked up her chopsticks and started picking up food as well, saying, "Take fewer pieces! We haven't eaten yet!"

As soon as the speaker spoke, everyone picked up their chopsticks, and all the initial restraint disappeared.

"Hey, I want a chicken leg! Give me a chicken leg!"

"The duck leg is also quite good! Princess, please try the Pearl Duck!"

"Hey! Slow down!"

The food-grabbing frenzy intensified as Xiang He ate, and He Suian kept serving her food, ensuring no one was left out.

The courtyard suddenly became lively. Qin Fuhua stared at them in a daze, never expecting that a meal could be so enjoyable. No wonder Brother Shen liked to come here.

Such a lively scene brought a special smile to her face.

People have become so accustomed to following the rules that they've forgotten that eating can be like this: no need for maids to serve food, just pick whatever you want to eat, and no need to abide by the rules of not speaking while eating or sleeping.

With that thought in mind, she picked up her chopsticks and began to enjoy the delicious food.

After the meal, Qin Fuhua stayed and talked with Jiang Xinyue for a long time, and only left reluctantly late at night.

They also needed to go back to wash up and go to sleep, and the courtyard suddenly became quiet.

Only Xiang He and He Sui'an were in the courtyard. Xing Ji and Zhu Nan were nowhere to be found. Jing Hua Shui Yue was reading a book, and Hei Ya was meditating on a tree.

The excitement just now seemed like an illusion, fleeting in an instant.

Xiang He draped the towel she was using to dry her hair aside, picked up a hairband and casually tied it up, "I heard that Xiao Quan's father, a senior official in the Ministry of Works, has been investigated. You guys are making pretty fast progress."

"Did you see Young Master Xiao today?"

"Yeah, he has a short temper. But he's still a good person. Even though he has a sharp tongue, he still helped us drive away those two scoundrels."

With a slight glint in his eyes, He Sui'an walked behind her, took the hairband, and wrapped it around her hair.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, they tried to chat me up, but I hit them."

With a slight smile, He Sui'an tied a knot in her hairband. "That's good. The Ministry of Works is in complete chaos right now. The Crown Prince has joined forces with the head of the Ministry of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation. The Liangcheng case has also been brought up again. By peeling back the layers, we can find out the truth sooner or later."

"Do you need any help? Have you encountered anything strange? Perhaps I can help."

After tightening the belt one last time, He Sui'an returned to his original seat and sat down. "There is something I need your help with. I went to the residence of the Vice Minister of Works with the Prince earlier, and I felt uneasy when we passed through his backyard."

Xiang He looked down at the folding fan at his waist. "You suspect there's something bad there?"

"I didn't know that even though the weather was clear and sunny, I felt a chill down my spine."

"That's really strange..."

Xiang He reached out her hand, and He Sui'an handed her the folding fan from his waist. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, just taking a look."

Open the folding fan, and between two thin sheets of paper is a tiny knife as thin as a cicada's wing. Just push the handle, and the sharp blade will emerge.

"Give me Xing Ji and Zhu Nan's swords later. I'm worried about the dangers you've been facing lately, since you've been acting alone. After all, people's aura changes when they're around me for a long time, not to mention that there are ghosts and demons in this He residence."

He Suian couldn't see it at first, but ever since he got close to Xiang He, and since he still had the folding fan that Xiang He had given him, he can see it whenever something unusual happens.

Thinking of this, Xiang He frowned slightly, "If there were something, you should be able to see it too..."

"Could it be because it was daytime? The sun was shining brightly that day."

Xiang He's furrowed brows did not relax. "That's possible, but if it can make you feel uncomfortable in broad daylight, then it's not something simple. We need to find an opportunity to take a look."

"Climbing over the wall?"

Her brow twitched slightly in surprise, but quickly relaxed as she smiled at him. "You've been climbing walls a lot lately. If you get caught, do you still care about your ranking?"

"The results won't be released for another eleven days."

In a daze, Xiang He felt as if that day at the examination hall was just yesterday. "So fast..."

Thinking back on the events of the past few days, Xiang He felt somewhat dazed. "That imperial advisor really hasn't been looking for me. What do you think is going on?"

"Then you can go and seek out a master without worry?"

Xiang He slapped his thigh suddenly, "I almost forgot! I've been so busy with your affairs lately that I've neglected my own! We'll go to Tianyun Temple, which is nearby, tomorrow!"

Her eyes sparkled, oblivious to the dimness in He Suian's eyes beside her.